1. Communication Between Cultures 2009/2010 Semester A College of Communication Shenzhen University by Dr. Xiaohui Pan

2. Chapter 10 Cultural influences on Context: The Health Care Setting

3. Culture, Health Care and Communication Health care profession is one of the fast-growing industries in global world This requires that providers have knowledge about and understanding of a patient’s cultural orientation, religion, language, interaction pattern, and attitude towards to health and illness Communication is the tool to understand the differences in values and beliefs

4. “The cultural and ethnic backgrounds of patients can shape their views of illness and well-being in both the physical and spiritual realm and affect their perceptions of health care as well as the outcome of their treatment.” Kundhal

5. Culture and Health Care: Diverse Worldviews Dualistic and holistic ( 二元论与一体论 ) on the relationship between people and nature Mechanistic and non-mechanistic( 机械主义与非机械主义 ) on the benefits of science and technology

6. Health Belief Systems Scientific/biomedical system Magico-religious system

7. Health Belief Systems Holistic system Alternative health care system

8. Cultural Diversity in the Causes of Illness Scientific/biomedical causes Magico-religious causes Holistic causes

9. Cultural Diversity in the Treatment of Illness Scientific/biomedical treatment Magico-religious treatment Holistic/naturalistic treatment

10. Cultural Diversity in the Prevention of Illness Cultures differ in their beliefs and approaches to the prevention of illness: The United States Muslim Afghanis Mexican African China

11. Religion, Spirituality, and Health Care “Religion strongly affects the way people interpret and respond to the signs and symptoms of illness” -Spector

12. Health Care Considerations for a Culturally Diverse Population Family roles: dominance patterns modesty and female purity pregnancy and childbirth self-disclosure Language barriers Nonverbal messages: eye-contact facial expression touch time Formality

13. summary Cultures differ in the ways they explain, treat, and prevent illness Health belief systems can be divided into three categories: scientific/biomedical, magico-religious, and holistic If optimal health care is to be provided in a multicultural society such as the United States, we must recognize diverse medical systems, diverse approaches to treatments, and personal ethnocentrism Becoming a Better Intercultural Health Care communicator